


Happy at Home (wherever you are)

by sammyspreadyourwings



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alpha Freddie Mercury, Alpha John Deacon, Alpha Veronica Tetzlaff, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Early Queen, Established Relationship, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Omega Brian May, Omega Roger Taylor, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 14:13:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20967887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammyspreadyourwings/pseuds/sammyspreadyourwings
Summary: John and Veronica are expecting their first child but didn't realize how rough an Alpha pregnancy would be. Brian wants to get over Chrissie.Both want their next tour to go well.





	Happy at Home (wherever you are)

**Author's Note:**

> I've been sitting on this for awhile, but then I remembered I was going to break this up into chapters, but I want to get a read on the room with this one. So Enjoy?  
God, I'm so bad at summaries.

“Deaky? Are you alright?”

John jumps in surprise, slamming the case of his bass down loudly. He’s relieved that the bass had been properly situated, at least he doesn’t have to explain to the tech why he needs a new headstock or repair to the body.

“Deaky?”

He turns around to spot Brian lounging on the ratty couch in the studio. His head is cocked to the side he strums the Red Special idly.

“Yeah. Yeah. I’m good.”

Brian arches an eyebrow. He sets Red Special to the side and sits up. John knows he is caught.

He shrugs sheepishly, “just exhausted?”

“I can see that.”

John slowly wanders over to the couch. Brian once again adjusts himself so that he can easily slump against the guitarist. The soft scent of omega reaches his nose and he finds himself unwinding. Has Brian always smelled this nice?

“Want to talk about it?” Brian whispers, “it could help.”

“Ronnie’s pregnancy is rough. She can’t really work because she feels sick all the time, and the morning sickness comes in the middle of the night.”

Brian hums, “alpha pregnancies aren’t simple.”  
“I know.”

John leans more against Brian and he takes the weight easily. One hand squeezes his shoulder in reassurance. He could fall asleep now, but he promised Ronnie that he’d be home in time to cook dinner.

“Why don’t you take a day off from recording. Spend time with her. Rest?”

“Can’t. We need to get this album done. I don’t think the company is going to be all too forgiving if we’re late.”

“You need to take care of yourself. Have you had a proper rest lately?”

He doesn’t remember the last time that he even slept the entire night. It isn’t Ronnie’s fault. Not in the slightest, but he is feeling it. He is slower and making more mistakes than he normally would.

“Do you need help?”

He sits up. Brian’s face is open. Clearly, he didn’t mean any offense in the statement.

John huffs, “I can do it.”

“I know you can. But you _can_ ask for help.”

His mind flickers to one of Roger’s rants about alpha’s being too prideful to know when to ask for help before it gets too much. Brian did offer, and it’d be nice to have a break. He doesn’t get what Brian would do? They don’t really have the money for him to run out and pick up Chinese.

“Once I get caught up on my sleep. I’ll be good.”

“But can you?”

John pushes away from Brian. The exhaustion making his temper shorter. He sighs. It’s exactly why he needs help, but there’s nothing that’s going to make Ronnie’s pregnancy easier until it is. He is their sole hope for income now. It’s very tight.

“And what are you proposing?”

Brian opens his mouth but closes it. To be fair, John didn’t expect to give in so easily, but the appeal of a nap is too much.

“I don’t know,” Brian taps on his bottom lip, “what do you need the most help with?”

John shrugs.

“Do you have dinner ready for tonight?”

“No, I’m supposed to cook it when I get back.”

“How about I do that tonight? And then we can ask Ronnie what she thinks?”

He nods. Maybe this is the only thing he needs. Someone to come over and make dinner on occasion so he can sit with his feet up. It does make him feel very Traditional Alpha because Brian is an omega. Roger would probably kill him for even thinking about letting Brian do this.

Then again, once doesn’t make it a pattern.

“What’s wrong?” Brian tilts his head.

“You wouldn’t mind it? Cooking dinner tonight?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I did.”

John pushes himself up. His back cracks alarmingly loud as he does so. Brian’s grimace lets him know that he heard it.

“Let me get the Old Lady in her case and then we can be off. Maybe let Ronnie know I’m coming over?”

“Yeah, I’ll go do that.”

Brian offers him a slight smile and John steps out towards the phone at the end of the hall. He nods at one of the techs, who is gripping the coffee cup with a look a little too close to seeking salvation. John quickly dials the number and after the second ring, the phone wakes up.

He hopes he hasn’t woken her.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” he says softly.

“Finished recording?”

John leans against the wall, “yeah. About to head out. Brian’s going to be with me too. Unless you don’t want him to?”

Ronnie lets out a soft laugh, “so long as he doesn’t expect me to entertain him.”

“No, he knows.”

“You finally told them?”

He sighs, “more like Brian figured it out. Roger and Freddie don’t know.”

“Well, hurry home. I’m famished.”

“Need me to pick anything up?” He thinks it might be too early for cravings, but he’s not entirely sure.

Maybe he should follow his mom’s advice and pick up a pregnancy book at least once.

“No, no. Just bring your handsome self home.”

“Okay. I’ll see you in a bit. Love you.”

“Love you more.”

He smiles and gives Ronnie one more goodbye before he hangs up the phone. John turns around to go back to grab his case and coat, but Brian is standing a polite distance away with both guitar cases propped against the wall.

“Ready?” Brian asks a little uselessly.

“Yeah,” he pulls his coat on, “are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Think I’m going to blab to Roger about you being an entitled alpha?”

John snorts, “now that you mention it.”

“It’s fine John. I don’t mind helping you out.”

He picks up the case, “did you drive here?”

“No, I caught a ride with Roger. So I guess it is a good thing I’m going with you tonight.”

They start to make their way up from the basement of the building, “where did they go off to anyway?”

“Freddie heard about a party, and Roger wanted to go.”

“Not you?”

“Ah, no,” Brian shakes his head, “some of the guests on the list aren’t… exactly who I want to see at the moment.”

So, Chrissie was going to be there. John winces in sympathy. Brian had never explained why they broke up when both were so certain they’d be mating in a couple of months, but from what John can gather it was bad and mostly Brian’s fault. Not that he wants to offend Brian by prodding around in his social life.

They have that boundary still.

The walk to the car is quiet, except for the greetings from a few other rock star hopefuls and techs. John feels instantly more relaxed the second the late afternoon sun hits him. Today had been a good day, the only arguments had been Roger’s usual shots at Brian playing too slow.

“Ah, do you have food at your house to cook with?”

John raises an eyebrow, _of course. _ “I do.”

“Okay,” Brian shrugs sheepishly, “sorry. I’m used to Roger and Fred only having spices and bread.”

“Seriously?”

“Roger gets dinner bought for him a lot, same with Freddie.”

John hadn’t thought they went out that often. Then again, he’s been preoccupied with Veronica, so maybe their dating habits changed.

“I see.”

He opens the door for Brian, once they reach his car, and this time he can see the disapproval from Brian.

“Sorry.”

“You’re fine,” Brian sighs, “but you don’t have to.”

“You don’t like it.”

“I don’t like not having the choice.”

John nods and tries to carefully look like he doesn’t have his proverbial tail between his legs as he climbs into the driver's side. Brian starts fiddling with the radio almost the second he starts the car. He liked that station, but he also doesn’t want to start that argument.

Soft rock music fills the car instead of conversation. He doesn’t smell any nervousness from Brian, and he bemoans his own inability to make small talk with their guitarist. They’ve known each other for a year and still, more often they don’t talk or they argue. He would say it is because Brian’s an omega unlike any he has met before, but then again, he and Roger get on as thick as thieves.

It feels like cheating too when he blames things on his dynamics. Not everything is because of that.

He has never been more relieved to pull onto his street. Parking is terrible because he must park four doors away from his own complex. It isn’t ideal for Ronnie either. Hopefully, when the due date grows closer, they have their own house and a designated place for his car. Until then he just must hope they won’t have any medical emergencies.

And start walking to the studio as soon as he steals a closer spot. In case there is an emergency while they’re on tour next month.

“John?”

Right. He’s just been sitting with the car running. Probably freaking Brian out.

“Sorry. It’s a lot.”

Brian nods, although he looks confused. John should probably clarify, but the words get stuck in his throat. He wants to delay the tour, but Queen is currently his best hope for an income. By that, he means, at least he’s getting one. If he quits Queen, there’s no guarantee anyone is going to hire him.

“Are we going to sit here for an hour?” Brian prods.

John sighs, “sorry.”

“You don’t have to keep apologizing.”

John is about to apologize when Brian cuts him off by getting out of the car. He is opening John’s door before he can even think about moving to pull on the handle.

“There, now we’re even.”

He smiles, “thanks.”

Brian subtly tilts his head back. John carefully doesn’t react to it, mostly because it doesn’t look like Brian knows what he’s doing. Instead, he claps Brian on the shoulder.

“I hope you have a good pasta recipe.”

“I have my mom’s,” Brian grins, “it isn’t too bad.”

His elderly neighbor sends him a disapproving look, as he wraps an arm around Brian’s shoulder and pulls him towards his flat. He holds tighter as Brian playfully tries to pull away. It devolves into a roughhousing match that only stops when Brian catches his back on the rail of his complex steps.

“I have ice,” John says.

“Thank you. It doesn’t hurt too badly.”

John leads the way up the steps, hoping Brian will catch onto the ones he’s avoiding. Some of these he doesn’t trust to not break when weight is put onto him. It’d be awful he fell through, not to mention his guest. Not like he’s going to say anything to his landlord in fear of getting a rent hike.

“Bit of a fire hazard,” Brian says.

“That’s why I wanted our album advance early. We want to move.”

“I don’t blame you. Don’t get why Trident didn’t give it to you.”

John shrugs. He has a bad feeling about Trident. That they aren’t telling them everything. He knows their albums are selling because when he goes to the record store downtown, he’s always sold out. The money is somewhere.

“Who knows, but we should talk with them again after the tour.”

He doesn’t see Brian’s response as he digs for his key. Which of course he put into a different pocket of his jacket, and spends a minute thinking that he’s lost it and almost having a breakdown. Brian stands next to him patiently, rocking on the balls of his feet.

“Ah, found it. Sorry.”

“John.”

“Right. I’m never apologizing to you again.”

He smiles at Brian’s exaggerated eye roll, “Rog is a bad influence on you.”

John knows it isn’t entirely Roger’s fault. The blond is just very good at getting people to open up to him. He unlocks the door and is welcomed by Ronnie’s comforting scent of sandalwood.

“I’m home!” He calls out.

“I’m in the bedroom. Hi Brian!”

“Hello, Veronica!”

John nods towards the kitchen. Brian takes his shoes off and brushes past him.

“There’s a mess, it’s been hard to get the energy to clean, after everything else.”

Brian smiles softly and wanders in the direction that John gestured. He finishes unlacing his boots. Walking quickly he makes it to the bedroom and is knocked back with the affection he feels for her. Ronnie is sitting against several pillows with a hand on her barely-there bump. Her hair is a tangled mess and she has dark circles under her eyes.

By God, is she the most beautiful woman John has ever seen.

“Hey there,” Ronnie smiles.

“Hello you,” he kisses her on the lips before dropping his hand to her belly, “and hello to you too troublemaker. Let your mom have any peace today?”

“I managed to get a nap in,” Ronnie replies covering his hand.

“That’s wonderful.”

“Shall we move into the living room?”

Ronnie makes a face that says she’d rather do anything else. John stands and offers his hand.

“Bathroom first?”

“Are you going to be sick?” John frowns.

“No, not at the moment.” She pulls herself up.

John kisses her again, just because he can. She returns it with a happy sigh.

“I missed you.”

“and I, you.”

Fifteen minutes later, John is escorting Ronnie to the dining table instead, so she doesn’t have to get to her feet again. It seems like Brian has just begun to start the dish. John tilts his head trying to figure out what it is they’re going to be served.

“It’s my mom’s recipe. Well, my Nan’s, but she said it was the only thing she could keep down when she was pregnant with me.”

John sniffs, it doesn’t smell like anything but Ronnie’s sandalwood and Brian’s citrus scent. There’s water boiling on the stove and a cutting board out.

“What _is _it?”

“It’s broth. Well a thick broth, but not a stock?

Brian looks a little frazzled as though he hadn’t expected to be quizzed on what he is preparing. John snorts. The meal must be vegetarian at least. John sits down next to Ronnie and grabs her hand.

“I’m sure it’ll work wonders, Brian,” Ronnie replies, “Nans know best.”

John briefly thinks to his own mother and then wonders why he hadn’t called her for advice. Had Ronnie called hers?

He laughs at the blush on Brian’s face as he turns back around and starts to cut vegetables to dump into the boiling water. Then he gets out the flour and water.

“Are you making pasta?”

“Dumplings.”

“I see.”

For whatever reason, he just assumed that Brian survived off easy cook meals like the rest of them. Scrambled eggs and boiled potato dishes. Then again, he supposes Brian was probably forced to learn how to cook by his parents. John shoves that thought away for another time

Shortly after the dough balls are formed and then placed into the oven to roast. He’s not sure he’s even heard of that.

“Usually I’d make it out of potatoes, but I thought that might be a little too tough?” Brian shrugs.

John kicks out a chair next to him in the invitation. Brian joins him.

“Hi Brian,” Ronnie greets again.

“Hello, how are you feeling?”

She rubs at her stomach, “I’ve certainly been better.”

Brian nods, “I’ve heard the first few months are the worst.”

“Well, I won’t argue with that,” she sighs, “and naturally the doctor won’t prescribe anything because of the high-risk nature of my pregnancy.”

“You can always try herbal remedies?” Brian shrugs, “I’m sure it’s not as effective as medication, but it’s natural so it shouldn’t hurt the baby.”

“I’ll bring it up at my next appointment. Oh, John, it’s Wednesday, are you coming?”

“What time?”

“Eleven.”

John looks at Brian. They have a meeting at half noon that day to discuss the album’s theme and finalize the tour schedule. He grimaces at the thought.

“Go, I can fill you in when you come to the studio.”

“Brian…”

“It’s your family,” Brian shrugs, “it is important. The album is too but considering you’ll be on tour for several months...”

It’s really no wonder neither Roger or Brian have settled down like it is expected of them. Also, he and Freddie keep any suitors well enough away considering both omegas carry their scent more often than not. John shakes his head.

“I know.”

Ronnie sighs, “John go to the meeting. I’ll call my mom.”

Brian huffs, “missing one meeting isn’t going to hurt, John.”

“I’ll let you know.”

Brian stands and goes to check on the food. John pinches the bridge of his nose. He really is too exhausted to think about this. Balancing work and family is something he is going to have to figure out sooner than later. Ronnie sends him a look that he knows is disappointment. As a good mate, he should only be concerned about his pregnant partner.

Too bad real life like doesn’t work like that.

“Ah, shouldn’t be too much longer.”

“Fantastic, I’m famished.”

John looks at Ronnie, “you have an appetite?”

“For once. Good thing too because I haven’t eaten all day. The thought of food made me so nauseous.”

Brian stirs the pot and then checks the food in the oven. He leans over against the counter rather than join them at the table this time.

John taps his fingers on the table. Ah. Here’s the awkwardness he was expecting with Brian.

“So, Brian, do you remember your mother saying anything about sucking a lemon to help with cramps?”

“Not that exactly that.”

“Oh.”

“It might work though, keep your mind off the cramps because of the sourness.”

Ronnie shrugs, “what do you think John?”

“Ah, maybe the vitamins in the lemon? I ate bananas when I got leg cramps during football.”  
“You played football?”

“Until uni,” he says.

Brian raises an eyebrow, “really?”

“I wasn’t a star or anything, but I didn’t trip over my feet while running which is more than some of the other boys in my year.”

“Did you enjoy it?” Brian crosses his arms.

“It was good fun, but I wouldn’t want to be a professional.”

“Guess that explains why you’re such a good dancer, then. Have foot coordination.”

John rolls his eyes, “you just never got used to your height.”

He preens when his statement earned him a laugh. Brian turns around and checks the food again. The dumplings come out, a nice brown color.

“Where are your bowls?”

“Top shelf, right cabinet,” Ronnie replies.

He’s happy that she doesn’t lose her gleeful look once the smell of food hits their noses. It smells like a homecooked meal. Brian digs out the bowls and ladles the broth into them before dropping a dumpling in each bowl. John gets up to help him bring it over to the table.

The broth doesn’t have much color to it, but a few finely chopped vegetables swim in it. He thinks that Brian might be right in this being something Ronnie’s stomach can handle.

Why hadn’t he asked the omega’s advice in the first place?

They sit down. Ronnie digs into hers almost the second it’s set in front of her. Brian appears happy at the reaction. John takes a careful sip of his. It does taste like boiled vegetables but it isn’t _bad. _

“Good?”

“Excellent, thank you,” John says.

“Tastes lovely, I’ll let you know about everything else,” Ronnie teases taking a small taste of the dumpling.

The texture is odd, soft in the middle but crunchy on the outside. He doesn’t dislike it though. Brian waits a few more minutes before eating his own meal. John takes note of that, before draining his bowl.

“I’ll put the rest in the fridge. It should keep for a few days at least.”

Well, that helps then. If all he must do is heat it up, and if Ronnie keeps it down then Brian well have solved all their problems in one night. Not that John is going to tell him that, he’ll be insufferable.

“Well, I’m quite full.”

Ronnie pats her stomach. John frowns. Half of the dumpling remains but most of the broth has been eaten (he hopes it hasn’t been soaked up by the dough). Brian’s face also shows his displeasure at the statement.

“I’ll clean up?”

“Yes, thank you.”

John stands and holds out his hands for Ronnie to take again. She stands slower but steadier than she had earlier. It must’ve been the lack off food making her hesitate.

“Need to stop by the loo?” He asks quietly.

“Not yet, but I am ready to go back to bed.”

He whines.

“I know, love. It should get better soon.”

He leans into her touch. Her thumb strokes across his cheekbone, and he turns his head to kiss her palm. Slowly they detangle, John, wrapping a steadying arm around her waist. Brian’s face is strangely neutral. Oh well. Brian is weird at the best of times.

“I’ll be back shortly.”

They go back to the bedroom. John stops several times to scent Ronnie. She does the same so he doesn’t feel too guilty about keeping her from the bed for too long.

“Tell Brian I said thank you,” she says once she’s sitting down.

“I will. Say, you wouldn’t mind if came around more and helped?”

“Like with dinner?”

“Yeah, maybe once a week? At least until you’re feeling better and I get a break with the band.”

“When will that be, hm?”

“Soon, I promise. The tour is a short promotional one. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“I wouldn’t mind Brian coming over more. He at least knows about _this, _or has more practical experience with this.”

John feels that now-familiar spin of guilt at the thought of just using the omega to take care of his pregnant partner rather than him. Ronnie smacks his cheek lightly.

“Stop that.”

“You don’t even know what I was thinking.”

“I know that face,” she leans forward to kiss the tip of his nose.

“You’re right.”

Ronnie kisses him lightly, “I usually am. Now go thank Brian and get back here. I want cuddles.”

“As you wish,” he stares at her a second longer.

It still is overwhelming that this is all his. He’s going to have a family with her! A little kid to love! John kisses her again on the forehead.

“Go,” she swats him, “before your mush alpha brain gets too mushy.”

He laughs as he leaves the bedroom. The house smells different. Warmer, if warmth were to be something one was able to smell. Brian is scrubbing pans at the sink his long sleeve shirt rolled up to his elbows. He’s caught by the hazel eyes.

“Rest. I’ll finish the dishes and then be out of your hair.”

“Veronica says thank you, by the way. For the dinner and the conversation.”

“Oh,” Brian looks away, “glad I could help.”

“Thank you,” John steps forward, “from me this time. I know we, well we argue and I didn’t expect this, but still thank you.”

“Those are professional arguments. It doesn’t come home with me. Most of the time.”

“No, I suppose you and Rog wouldn’t be paired omegas if that were the case.”

“Ah. I should probably call him.”

“Maybe.”

They stare at each other for a second, “uh. Well. It would be nice if you could do this again next week? You don’t have to of course but having food I can just heat up. That’s very helpful.”

“John, I said I’d help you.”

He nods, “I know.”

Brian smiles and John clears his throat but doesn’t stop the grin. He hesitates for a second before stepping into the kitchen but changing direction towards the table when he sees Brian’s disapproving look. John settles in the chair and watches Brian. His hair is pulled away from his face and held by a loose scrunchie. The back of his neck is marked by a faint bruise, Roger’s, but the rest of his neck is pale.

If Brian and Chrissie had worked out, where would they be now?

A bubble drifts up from the sink, popping just as it reaches Brian’s nose. He jumps back and blinks. John snorts.

“I’ll protect you from the bubbles.”

Brian narrows his eyes, “what a noble alpha.”

John shrugs and shakes his head so that his hair falls from his shoulder. Brian raises his eyes before turning back to the sink. It only takes him a few more minutes for all of the built-up dishes to be cleaned and stacked to dry.

“I can put those away in the morning.”

Brian drapes the damp towels over the edge of the sink and dries off his hands, “if you’re sure.”

He stands, “I’ve kept you long enough. These dishes are very clean, thank you.”

When John does it, there’s usually some kind of streaking from the water or soap residue. Ronnie can manage to get the soap off, but it’s still streaky. He had thought it was just the plates, but now he can clearly see his reflection. It’s impressive.

Brian tilts his head back again, “it’s nothing, really.”

“It means a lot though.”  
He smiles gently at Brian’s smile. They both walk towards the front door, John looking forward to a long night of rest with a thankfully settled Veronica. He leans against the wall as Brian slips his shoes back on and grabs his guitar case.

“Did you want me to drive you to yours and Roger’s?”

“No, it’s still early enough for me to walk.”

John bites his lip. The sun is nearly set and it is still a good half an hour walk to where Brian lives.

“I’ll be fine,” Brian says a little firmer, “I’ve done this a hundred times before.”  
That’s true enough. John has let him walk home drunk alone, which isn’t his proudest moment, but any trouble Brian has found, he could handle. He steps back and lets his shoulders drop. When had he started posturing? Brian raises an eyebrow and mumbles something under his breath.

John deserves that.

“I’ll phone when I get home?”

“That’s perfect,” John breathes.

Brian rolls his eyes again and picks up his case, “alright then. I’ll talk to you in a bit.”

John waits for a heartbeat after Brian leaves and then quickly makes his way back to their bedroom. Ronnie is bundled up in one of his hoodies and almost every blanket they own. He pauses and waits for her permission before climbing onto the bed and curling around her legs so that he can rest his head near her stomach. Between her soft breathing and her stroking his hair he grows drowsy. John shifts so that his nose is pressed against her stomach and peers up at her.

“I love you.”

Ronnie smiles, “and I, you.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, leave your thoughts and comments below or come talk to me on tumblr.


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